As is well known, a plated or protective module is generally formed by two elements: an integrated circuit chip, and a printed circuit over the chip. With reference to FIG. 1, a plated module comprising a printed circuit 2 and an integrated circuit chip 3, is represented and globally indicated with numeral reference 20.
More particularly, the printed circuit 2 comprises a plurality of conductive areas a1, . . . , an, generally glued through an epoxy resin 9. The integrated circuit chip 3 is fixed and electrically connected through wires bonding beneath the printed circuit 2, before being sealed in a recess 6 of a generic plastic support 1, as schematically represented in FIG. 2. The electrical connections are clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, representing respectively a top view of the printed circuit 2, sealed inside the recess 6 with the integrated circuit chip 3 beneath, and the corresponding lateral cross section.
A plurality of bond wires w1, . . . , wn connects some or all of the conductive areas a1, . . . , ak (if all, n=k) to the integrated circuit chip 3 at a plurality of contact points c1, . . . , ck. These contact points c1, . . . , ck provide communication connection between an external read write device 4 and the integrated circuit chip 3.
Generally, the plastic support 1, in which the plated module 20 is hosted, may be kept by the user in a wallet or envelope that might be protective, subject to bending or stressing forces on the plastic support 1 itself. Therefore, in order to avoid breakage, the integrated circuit chip 3 is restricted to only a few millimeters in size and is protected through the printed circuit 2 from physical pressures and static electricity.
More particularly, to hold the integrated circuit chip 3 assembled with the printed circuit 2, the recess 6 is milled into the plastic support 1 using a CNC machine with multiple drill bits, the dimension and location of the recess 6 being carefully controlled to meet with ISO standards.
Nevertheless, since the plastic support 1 is usually kept by hand and hidden in a wallet, it is subject to damage and stress mainly with respect to the printed circuit 2 and the integrated circuit chip 3, especially around the recess 6 wherein they lie. More particularly, when the plastic support 1 is deformed or stressed, the forces act in proximity to the external circumference of the recess 6, sometimes causing the partial detaching of the integrated circuit chip 3 from the plastic support 1.
Even if these forces do not cause the detaching, the contact points c1 . . . ck may be damaged, causing the communication between the integrated circuit chip 3 and the corresponding external read write device 4 to fail.